Apple Bread Pudding

A few weeks ago, PChad & I went away for the weekend, & the babysitter took the kids apple picking.  She left us with a large bag of apples, so I decided to make some apple crisp.  As I was looking through my dessert recipes, I found one I had put in the recipe box but never made.  It was for Apple Bread Pudding.

 

I am a big fan of bread pudding.  When we eat dinner at a restaurant, I almost always ask to see the dessert menu right away.  That way I can see if they have bread pudding, & plan my meal accordingly!  So, when I found that recipe all thoughts of apple crisp flew away & I knew I was going to be making the apple bread pudding instead.

 

It was a huge hit, & not very difficult to make.  The only thing I wish were different is that you really need to make it just before you eat it, it doesn’t really work to prepare it ahead of time.  It takes about 45 minutes to cook, which is about how long it takes us to eat dinner, so that means I have to prepare dinner & dessert at the same time.  Maybe next time dessert will just be dinner, then I only have to make one thing!

 

Apple Bread Pudding

4 C Soft Bread Cubes

1/4 C Raisins (I always add more)

2 C Peeled & Sliced Apples

1 C Brown Sugar

1 3/4 C Milk

1/4 C Margarine

1 t Cinnamon

1/2 t Vanilla

2 Eggs, beaten

 

Vanilla Sauce

1/4 C White Sugar

1/4 C Brown Sugar

1/2 C Milk

1/2 C Margarine

1 t Vanilla

 

-Preheat oven to 350, Grease 7x11 baking dish.

-In large bowl, combine bread, raisins, & apples

-In small saucepan over Med heat, combine Br Sugar, Milk, & Margarine.  Cook & stir ‘til Margarine is melted.  Pour over bread mixture in bowl, & transfer to baking dish.

-In small bowl, whisk together Cinnamon, Vanilla, & Eggs.  Pour over bread mixture in baking dish.

-Bake @ 350 for 40-50 minutes, or until centre is set & apples are tender.

-While pudding is baking, mix together sauce ingredients in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Serve over warm pudding.

French Toast

I have been battling a cold for the past week, & it is a real doozy.  I am a strong believer in the power of Ny-Quil over a fever or a cold, so at least I have been sleeping well!  One side effect that usually happens, is what I call “Ny-Quil dreams”.  I have been having some of the strangest dreams, but there is one that I think you will particularly enjoy.

 

PChad & I, & some extended family had all gone out for breakfast at a restaurant.  Everyone’s food had come, except for mine, so after 20 minutes I asked the waitress about my order.  I had ordered French toast.  A short time later, the waitress came out with my food.

 

On the plate were four huge slices of bacon.  Underneath the bacon was a poached egg.  Under the egg was one slice of baguette French toast.

Now, I was not happy.  I asked the waitress, “Where is the rest of my French toast?”

 

“Sorry, that’s all you get,” she replied.

 

“But I ordered French toast.  I want French toast!”

 

“Well, there is lots of food there, with the bacon & the egg.”

 

“But I don’t want bacon & egg, or I would have ordered bacon & eggs.  I want French Toast!”

 

I then proceeded to walk around the restaurant showing my disproportionate meal to the other wait staff asking them, “Does this seem normal to you?”

 

I was really angry in my dream.  Enough so that I actually woke up at 5 in the morning angry about French toast.  Now, I don’t know what it means, but it sure made my kids laugh when I told them about it!

Sunday Pictures

Asher – 7 years

Chancery – 5 years

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Chancery: “She’s at it again, Asher.”

 

Chancery: “Every Sunday, it’s pictures, pictures, pictures.”

 

Asher: “Well, if we don’t move every time, maybe she’ll take less photos.”

 

Chancery: “Or we could try my other plan…”

 

Chancery: “Only silly faces!”

Stir-Fry Sauce

Last night we had stir-fry for dinner.  I usually use a jarred sauce, but I realized as I pulled my ingredients out, that I did not have a jar on hand.  I searched online for an easy substitute, & found one that I could make with what I had on hand.  PChad agreed that this homemade sauce was better than the jarred ones, & it was so easy to make that I will probably plan on making it every time!

 

2/3 C Soy Sauce

1/2 C Chicken Broth (or Beef if doing a beef stir-fry)

1/3 C Rice Vinegar

3 T Sugar

1 T Sesame Oil

1 T Crushed Garlic

1 T Crushed Ginger

2 T Cornstarch

 

Brown your beef, add your veggies to the skillet, mix the sauce in a small bowl, & add to the skillet.  Stir around & cook for a few minutes.  Enjoy!

Cruise Ships

We have lots of cruise ships coming into Charlottetown this time of year.  Sometime 2 or 3 in one day.  I happened to be downtown a few weeks ago & noticed that one of the ships was docked out in the harbour & was using their little boats to ferry passengers back & forth.  I thought it would be really neat to take the kids to see when the ship was getting ready to leave port, as they would be hoisting the boats up.

Here the boat is just starting to be lifted from the water.

 

The kids seemed to be more excited about running around on the rocks than watching, but I found it extremely interesting!

And here the ship that was further out in the harbour (Norwegian Dawn) had to move so that the ship in port (Veendam) could leave.

Here the Veendam is leaving port

And the Norwegian Dawn is turning behind it

Sadly, we didn’t get to see the Norwegian Dawn leave since it was raining & we’d already been down at the docks for quite awhile.  I probably found it more interesting than the kids did, but it was a fun thing to see.

Sunday Pictures

Asher – 7 years

Chancery – 5 years

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Asher: “I have a treasury of ‘Danny & the Dinosaur’ books.”

 

Asher: “Or would you rather read some of the ‘Big Nate’ comic book?”

 

Chancery: “Let me talk now, Asher.”

 

Chancery: “I had a bit of a mishap with the handle of a rake yesterday.”

 

Asher: “I said I was sorry, Chancery!  It was an accident!”

It Starts With You!

Kid President has been songified!  The world can be better, & it all starts with you!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Fort Amherst

After school started, my parents & I took a few little day trips.  We spent one morning at Fort Amherst, just across the water from Charlottetown.  It was one of the first settlements on PEI.  There are a few lighthouses to take photos of if you are into that kind of thing, & some walking trails.

Dad always has his camera out, so I figured I should too.

 

Yes, I found a tree to climb, but it was really dead, so it was a bit of a challenge to pull myself up on it without breaking off the branches.  But I did it!

 

Beach Days!

Summer is very over.  We are on to winter coats (well I am, but the kids are braver than I) & sweaters.  But I thought some beach pictures might warm me up.  PEI is really great in the summertime, & the 2 months of going to the beach almost everyday make the rest of the year tolerable.

You can take your kids to the beach, but they always manage to find something to climb!

Sunday Pictures

Asher – 7 years

Chancery – 5 years

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Chancery: “Do you have any ideas for what to do today, Asher?”

 

Asher: “We could be letters of the alphabet!”

 

Asher: “This is a lowercase ‘L’!”

 

Chancery: “I’d rather show everyone that Ginger is in my halloween bucket.”

 

Asher: “I have spy gear in mine!”

Tree Decorating

After all the driving we did, we started to get creative at rest stops.  At this one, we found a bush full of rosehips, & a cute little pine tree that needed a little sprucing up.

The kids made a happy tree…

 

and on the other side, I made a festive Christmassy tree!

I can’t let the kids have all the fun!

Cabot Trail

The next day we continued our trip by heading up the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia.

  This day consisted of a lot of driving on twisty roads, with a few stops for hikes.

 

We stopped at “the Bog” to walk around & see if we could spot an y moose.  Unfortunately, we never saw any moose, but we did see some spots where they appeared to have been laying in the grass.

 

We also took a few selfies, just to pass the time!

 

 

Of course, Uncle Jeff became the favourite Uncle when he offered to get us ice cream!

Hopewell Rocks

When my Aunt & Uncle, & parents were here, we decided to head to New Brunswick & see the Hopewell Rocks where there are 40 foot tides!

They have these amazing rock formations called “Flowerpot Rocks” which are carved by the tides.

 

The kids had a great time looking for cool rocks & trying not to fall on the slippery seaweed.

Maybe we had a little too much fun!

Awe, That’s So… HEY!!

Each morning I bring Chancery to school, & I give her the option of waiting in the car for the school doors to open, or waiting in line with her class.  She usually picks waiting in the car (there was a cold morning last week which turned her off of waiting outside).

 

This morning, Chancery & I were listening to the radio, & I reached back to her, gave her leg a squeeze & said, “I love you.  You’re my favourite girl.”

 

Chancery respeonded, “I love you forever, Mummy.  You’re my favourite Mummy…  No, you’re my SECOND favourite Mummy!”

 

“Hey!” I protested, “that’s not very nice!  Who’s your favourite?”

 

Chancery replied in her sweet little voice, “Auntie Tara.  But I guess she could be my second favourite, since I don’t live by her.”